Automatic life preserver inflator



July 4, 1950 J. T. MYERS AUTOMATIC LIFE PRESERVER INFLATOR Filed Oct. 10, 1945 amen 1M JOE. THOMAS MYERS WWI Mg Patented 'July '4, 1950 UNI-TED "OfF' F-ICE 2551334? automateirnessavsnmmimon "see thumasMy-ers, United States Navy I. Application october 10,1945; SeriaLNo; $21,633

"(Granted -'under the act of March 1883,-as -amendedAprils; 1928;"370 0. G. '757) 'This invention relates' to"anaiitoiiiaitic Ifie preserver inflator; and in particdlafto an in flator which is activated by gas pressure "o pe'riiltiri'g means which isadapted'to duicklyrelease the inflation gas and conduct it into the "life 'p'reserver,or other inflatable-vessels.

Various types of automatic -lifepreser'ver inflators are knownin'the art. 'So'me are adtiv'ated by water pressure 'ona diaphragm which releases a trigger mechanism thereby a'ctivating a plunger or a hammer-'which piinctures" the'gas container. Some are activated *by the oiz'ida- 1 tion of a wire composed"of'ainaterialfsuch as magnesium which, when the apparatus-is iI'iop-- erative, holds a spring aetivat'ed'ip'lur iger in restrained positiOn. Upon 'releas'e"'from"thi's position, the plunger 'causesthe "gas"'contai'n'i'ng cartridge to be punctured an'dth'e "gas therein contained to be released to'inflate the ereserver. Other types hold the trigger mechanism in inoperative position by means offa so'l-ublej element which upOncontact'With water is dissolved thereby releasing the mechanism tdli-loerate the gas held in a container. These various'types in general involve a considerable amount of fink work, bearings and pivots which' aresiib ject 'to corrosion so that in many casesthe apparatus has .been found to be inoperative. 'AIs 'in-gneral, too much time is required for thedevice to operate and to inflate the preservr. Experience hasshown that in manyjcases men-with a life preserver in proper position have :been drowned due to the slow 'operatio'n'of' the-inflating mechanism.

With these defects in view it is thererore'an' object of this invention to provide an apparatus for the inflation of life preservers which"isautomatic in operation. v

Another object .of the invention is topro'vide an apparatus for the'in'fiation of life preservers which is automatic in operation-and which is very quickly operable. a y

A further objection o'f'the inver'ition is to@provide an apparatus which is automatic inoperation and which is also aependabre astooperation.

A still further object of the invention is to vpmvide an apparatus which is automatic inoperation and which is adapted tobe-u'sed withipresent existing equipment.

An additional object is to provide an apparatus which is automatic and dependable in operation, of simple, strong construction and economical as to manufacture.

These and other objects will be-apparent in the following description of one embodiment of the present "invention, in the Claims herewith Subi'nitted and in the attached drawing whichis a longitudinal section through the device. I 'It is paifly in ectio'n and partly in elevation.

lteferring '*to the drawing, i0 represents 'a valve {is exteneny threaded'atoneend and enlarg d t'the otherend. The interior of the en argedrid is-threadd as'at I2 toengage the bodyWit-ofa contaitier; which is firmly attached to a life preserver adapted to contain the inflatiorr 'gas cartridgeit. The body or this container is firovided witfia pdintd"stud 2 5 Which is adapted "puncturethehea'd of the cartridge when thejl'atter-i's forced against it. This stud maybe fiXe or'mounte'd 'onhand lever operatedmechaas at"! I. The-container i3 is also provided with a"di'scharge' port H through which the gas escaping fromcartridge M passes to the life preserver. Intermediate to this discharge port [1 a'ridi'the li-fe'prese'rver is'a check valve mechanism which *eoinprises; a hollow metallic stem which is rutbereovered. Discharge ports from the metallic stemarepositioned'underneath this rubber cover which permits the gas under pressure to pass"to""trie preservenbut operates as a check against th'ereturn. It is-a general type of check valv -as described by the patent to; Muller. No. 1I3'29;-90"is'sue'd September 3, 1920. Valve body In is'proviided withshoulder is which functions ward the gas cartridge, iscfoncave to fit'the spheri'ee1'-ena-or the cartridge. 'The'stem of plunger2il istiireaded" as at zero-imam with piston 24. Piston fl is "providedwith an annular groove in itsperipherywhich (groove) supports a neoprene pound-scenes calcium carbide. This container is *aaapteuito holdsub'stantia'lly one-fourteenth of ant e of" this" compound. 1 As is Well known wl'inwatefcoins into contact with "this compound, acetylene in the form of a gas is iiberated.

'Thescreen-ends of capsule 28 are held in place life rafts, position buoys etc.

I and the water metering guide 34 is a coiled sprin 42 which normally holds the Water valve 40 in Water valve 40 is faced seated position as at 43. v with an annular neoprene gasket as at 44 which nular groove in the exterior surface of the cap as at 50.

The operation of the device is as follows:

Upon submersion to a depth of substantially 4 feet, water passes into cover plate 46 between 1 arms 48. its seat 43 compressing spring 42. The Water then passes through water metering guide 34 and comes into contact with a calcium carbide It forces water valve 48 away from in the capsule 28. Acetylenegas is immediately generated and develops a pressure Within the enclosed chamber suflicient to close valve 4!], to

i drive piston 24, plunger 2| and cartridge [4 with considerable force against pointed stud l5. The

. gas contained within the cartridge [4 is thereby 1 liberated, passes through port I! and the check valve mechanism above described into the life preserver. The time required for theinflation is substantially '7 to seconds.

tion. This condition is removed merely by either opening the valve manually or providing a small airport in cap 3| as at 35. This airport is so positioned as to be covered by the last two threads on body l0.

The device herein disclosed contains few moving parts. They are sealed from contact with the outside air and moisture; hence are not subject to corrosion. The device is therefore dependably operative.

While the foregoing description has been drawn to an embodiment of the invention adapted to the automatic inflation of a life preserver, it is not desired to be strictly limited thereto as the device is capable of being used to automatically inflate any inflatable vessel such as rubber boats,

Furthermore, it can be used for the detection of the presence of water at remote points such as in mines where the movement of the piston or the devolpment of pressure can operate mechanism for recording at a control point.

Such uses and adaptations are within the spirit and scope of the invention to th extent 'asde-,

i for.

What is claimed is:

1. A device adapted to automatically inflate a.

life preserver by the generation of a mechanism actuating gas pressure therewithin comprising a hollow body adapted to be attached to the life preserver and to contain a sealed, inflation gas cartridge, said hollow body provided with gas cartridge puncturing means and a discharge port adapted to be connected to the interior of the life preserver, a tubular body adapted to be connected to said hollow body, a piston actuated plunger, positioned within the tubular body, adapted to contact the sealed, inflation gas cartridge and to drive it against the puncturing means, a perforate capsule, provided with a compound which generates a gas upon contact with water, positioned within said tubular body in juxtaposition "to the piston actuated plunger, a cap adapted to be connected to the tubular body, provided with an integral valve seat and a perforate valve guide, a spring biased water valve adapted to coact with said-valve seat and to be supported by said valve -hydrostatic'pressure, and a cover plat adapted to be connected to said cap in spaced relationguide'and to be moved from said valve seat by ship thereto, and to permit, when immersed, the water to come into contact with, to exert pressureon, to opensand to pass through the said water valve.

-2. A devicefor automatic inflation of a floatable body upon submersion thereof comprising a housing for the device sealed against admission of atmosphericmoisture, inflating gas storage means within the housing, hydrostatic valve means within the housing responsive to a predetermined depth ofsubmersion thereof for admitting Water to thehousing, a gas generating device'within the housing constructed and arranged for generation of gas pressure upon admission of water to th housing, means responsive to saidgenerated gas pressure for closing said Valve-means to retain said gas pressure, means responsive to said gas pressure for releasing said inflating gas from said storage means, and means for conducting said released gas into said floatable body.

, 3., In a device for automatic inflation of a float able body upon submersion thereof, a housing for the device. sealed against admission of atmospheric moisture, inflating gas storage means within the housing, hydrostatic valve means within the housing responsive to a predetermined depth of submersion thereof for admitting water to the housing, a gas generating device within the housing constructed and arranged for generation of gas pressure upon admission of water to the housing, means responsive to said generated gasfor closing said valve means to retain said gas pressure, means responsive to said gas pressure forreleasing said inflating gas from said storage means, said last named means being constructed and arranged for manual operation regardless ofoperation of saidhydrostatic valve means, and means for conducting said released gas into said floatable body.

, JOE THOMAS MYERS.

' REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in th file ofthis patent: 1

v UNITED STATES PATENTS Walk May 23, 1944 

